Cisplatin Treatment Options in Minnesota

RATIONALE: Specialized radiation therapy (RT), such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), that delivers a high dose of radiation directly to the tumor may kill more tumor cells and cause less damage to normal tissue. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving intensity-modulated radiation therapy to the pelvis with or without chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well intensity-modulated radiation therapy to the pelvis with or without chemotherapy works in treating patients with endometrial cancer or cervical cancer that has been removed by surgery. Read Less

RATIONALE: Monoclonal antibodies such as cetuximab can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and docetaxel, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Cisplatin and docetaxel may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Combining a monoclonal antibody with chemoradiotherapy and giving them after surgery may kill any remaining tumor cells. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II trial is studying adjuvant cetuximab given together with chemoradiotherapy using cisplatin to see how well it works compared to adjuvant cetuximab given together with chemoradiotherapy using docetaxel in treating patients with resected stage III or stage IV squamous cell carcinoma (cancer) or lymphoepithelioma of the head and neck. Read Less

The overall goal of this study is to determine the safety and efficacy of combination treatment of low-dose fractionated radiation therapy with gemcitabine-cisplatin chemotherapy for locally advanced mass forming intra-hepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Read Less

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy alone is as effective as chemotherapy plus radiation therapy in treating germ cell tumor. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying radiation therapy alone to see how well it works compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed primary CNS germ cell tumor. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Combining more than one drug may kill more tumor cells. It is not yet known whether cisplatin combined with irinotecan is more effective than cisplatin combined with etoposide in treating extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to compare the effectiveness of cisplatin combined with either irinotecan or etoposide in treating patients who have extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. Read Less

The combined use of chemotherapeutic drugs with radiation has proven to be effective in improving overall survival and local control among patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Induction chemotherapy given before receiving local treatment has been shown to reduce the rate of distant failure. Many drugs have been found to prevent tumor cells from growing or dividing, although it has yet to be determined which agent, or specific combination of agents, is most effective in treating head and neck cancer. Docetaxel is a drug which has been reported to show promising activity in Phase II head and neck cancer studies. Therefore, the purpose of this trial is to compare the effectiveness of induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy versus the same chemoradiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Read Less

This phase II trial studies how well brostallicin and cisplatin work in treating patients with breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) and does not have estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, or large amounts of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) on its cells (triple-negative). Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as brostallicin and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from spreading. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of tumor cells. Giving combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy together with interferon alfa before surgery may shrink the tumor so it can be removed. Giving chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy together with interferon alfa works in treating patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer that cannot be removed by surgery. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving combination chemotherapy together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy together with radiation therapy works in treating patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. The doctor also wants to find out if patients who receive this treatment need a feeding tube 1 year after starting treatment. Read Less

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as topotecan and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Internal radiation uses radioactive material placed directly into or near a tumor to kill tumor cells. Topotecan and cisplatin may make tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy. Giving topotecan and cisplatin together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of topotecan when given together with cisplatin and radiation therapy in treating patients with advanced cervical cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Growth factors, such as palifermin, may lessen the severity of mucositis, or mouth sores, in patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. It is not yet known whether palifermin is more effective than a placebo in lessening mucositis in patients receiving radiation therapy and chemotherapy for head and neck cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying palifermin to see how well it works compared to a placebo in lessening oral mucositis in patients undergoing radiation therapy and chemotherapy for locally advanced head and neck cancer. Read Less

RATIONALE: Sorafenib and pemetrexed may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Sorafenib may also stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking blood flow to the tumor. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving sorafenib together with pemetrexed and cisplatin may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of sorafenib when given together with pemetrexed and cisplatin in treating patients with advanced solid tumors. Read Less